Fence-post



(No Model.)

R. B. ROBBINS.

FENCE POST.

No. 433,033. Patented July 29, 1390.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD B. ROBBINS, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,038, dated July 29, 1890.

(N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD B. ROBBINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adrian, county of Lenawee, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fence-Posts; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide a cheap metallic fence-post which shall be formed of one piece of metal, which will be easily placed into the ground, and when so placed will remain firm and stationary until intentionally removed.

It consists in a combination of devices and appliances hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my fenee post. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a variation in the shape. Fig. at illustrates the base construction when properly placed in the ground. Fig. 5 is aview of the wedgeblock.

In carrying out my invention, A represents the post; B, the wires of which the fence may be formed, and 0 represents the construction when boards are used instead of wire to form the fence, or when wire is used for substantially all of the fence and one or more board panels extend along the upper ends of the posts. This post is formed of a single piece of sheet metal, which is folded longitudinally along its median line to produce a duplex or longitudinally divided web E, and the parts forming such web are bent laterally in opposite directions to provide two independent flanges a a, coextensive in length and breadth. The flanges are each provided with pairs of staple orifices or perforations, whereby the wire or boards, as the case may be, may be attached by staples passed over the wire or through the board and through the orifices in the flanges and properly clinched on the other side. When boards are used, the abutting ends of each panel may be brought together, one board attached to one flange and the ad jacent board attached to the other, thus obviating the necessity of lapping the boards or attaching them directly to each other. So, also, bythus forming the post a broad lateral bearing is provided-that is, the two flanges provide suificient bearing so that any lateral strain which is put upon the post will be met and the post prevented from sagging or leaning.

It will be observed that the upper end of the post is turned at right angles, or nearly so, to itself and perforated to receive staples, such turned parts forming horizontal arms, as at a. This is for the purpose of providing a bearing whereby, if desired, a board maybe extended along the top' of the fence with its flat side instead of its edge upward. The flanges being perforated on this portion a, the boards may be attached the same as when attached to the side of the post.

The lower end of the post is provided with what may be termed diverging braces. These braces are formed by slitting the metal up a short distance from the bottom. Thus each flange a forms a brace a these two extendingin opposite directions. Then by slitting the web, as shown, two braces a are formed, each extending in an opposite direction.

To insert the post into the ground, a hole of the proper diameter is dug to the required depth. In the bottom is then placed a suitable wedge-block D. This block may be any brace-spreader composed of a suitable form so long as it performs its function of spreading the braces as, for instance, it may be square, with inclined surfaces of the desired angle corresponding with the number of the braces, or it may be round in the form of a ball. Now, when the post is inserted and a pressure applied, this wedgeblock will force the braces out into the adjacent earth. hole is then filled up and the earth packed around on top of the braces. The post is thus firmly anchored in its place, since any tendency for it to heave or for it to be pulled out of the ground by the tension of the wires forming the fence would be overcome by the fact that the earth is packed in on top of the braces and the wedge-block serves to lock them in this position. So, also, the flange a prevents the post from yielding laterally in any direction.

If it is desired to use the post for an entire The board-panel fence, this may be don e, since the flanges a extend down to the surface of the ground.

By constructing the post of a sheet-metal plate folded longitudinally on its median line to produce a duplex or divided web the walls of such web may be pressed together to form a post which is T-shaped in cross-section, as in Fig. 2, or the walls of the-web may be more or less separated to produce a web which is V- shaped in cross-section, as in Fig. 3. In either construction, however, the lateral flanges or wings a should be located in parallelism, or substantially so, for the correct'attachment of the wires or boards in alignment.

It is obvious that instead of a metallic upper portion for the post this upper portion might be formed of wood and bolted to the base portiont'. e., to that portion provided with the braces; and I would have it understood that my invention is designed to cover such a construction.

What I claim is- 1. A fence-post composed of a duplex or divided and imperforate web and lateral oppositely projecting flanges or wings, each formed at its upper end with a horizontal and perforated board-supporting arm a, said web and flanges being slitted and formed integral with diverging braces at their lower ends, substantially as described.

2. A fence post consisting of a sheet of metal folded longitudinally on its median line to formra duplex web, the walls of which are turned laterally in opposite directions and separated therefrom at the lower end of the post to form diverging braces, in combination with the spreader-block, substantially as described.

- In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD B. ROBBINS.

\Vitnesses:

M. A. REEvE, W. H. CHAMBERLIN. 

